Members of Medical a Women Association of Nigeria, Delta State with some students cutting the cake to mark World Food Day.

OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO

In a determined bid to avert looming hunger in Nigeria, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Young Doctors Forum (YDF) has called on Nigerians irrespective of status in the society and organisations to own gardens, small scale farms, school gardens with a view to produce food for consumption at the family and organizational levels to reduce hunger and enhance poverty reduction in the country.

This call was made by Dr. Onyi Owa-Nwabuzo, Coordinator, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Young Doctors Forum(YDF), Delta State Branch at a ceremony to mark World Food Day in Effurun, near Warrii, while saying that increased food production will reduce hunger and pervading poverty to zero level, she called on the people to take to micro and big scale farming with a view to eradicate poverty and hunger.

At the ceremony to commemoration World Food Day celebration, the group organized free feeding programs for school children in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta state and distributed exercise books to all students in attendance.

In a keynote address, Deacon Augustine Inaya, a seasoned banker, insurance practitioner, international business development consultant and Group Chief Executive, Inaguson International Co. Ltd. titled, “Migration, Food Security And Rural Development” said that climate change is projected to cause increases in human population movement just as he attributed food shortages experienced all over the world to climate change which has continued to affect agriculture.

Dcn. Inaya disclosed that the impact of human-induced climate change on both population mobility and food security will adversely affect food security in many regions and may contribute to migration of people to areas where agricultural livelihoods and food sources are more secured.

He further disclosed that in the coming decades, the nature of some anticipated migration pathways may lead to food insecurity in sites of settlement and location, adding that the effects of climate change on both population mobility and food security will occur through complex path-ways.

According to him, “events are organized throughout September and October in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the United Nations calendar in which Nigeria is a member. World Food Day is a chance to show our commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 and to call on everyone to do their part.”

Don. Inaya added, “as we speak, the world is on the move. Many people have been forced to flee their homes than at any time since Second World War due to increased conflict and political instability. But hunger, poverty and an increase in extreme weather events linked to climate change are other important factors contributing to the migration challenges. Large movements of people today are presenting complex challenges, which call for global action.”

He said that rural development can address factors that compel people to move by creating business opportunities and jobs for young people that are not only crop-base (such as small dairy or poultry production, food processing or horticulture enterprises).adding, “it can also lead to increased food security, more resilient livelihoods, better access to social protection and reduced conflict over natural resources and solutions to environmental degradation and climate chance.”

He then called on the international communities to invest in rural development with a view to enhance overall sustainable growth, he spoke further, ” by investing in rural development, the international community can also harness migration’s potential to support development and build the resilience of displaced and host communities, thereby laying the ground for long-term recovery and inclusive and sustainable growth.”